ID please. From the Tampa Bay Saltwater LR

[ChrisChow]

I was a little jealous that everyone else's TBS (Tampa Bay Saltwater) Live Rock had a mantis for hitch-hiker and after a week, I found this shy creature
At any rate, I had to rotate the rock so that I could get him/her on camera.
Let me know if you need to see the telson to ID this one.
And can you tell the sex?
This little one is nothing more than 2" in total length.

BTW. I graduated from Cal missing out on some of the labs and classes I could have been involved in...like Dr. Roy's ... if/when my children attend Cal, I won't mind if they spend a few extra years taking in whatever they want

 

[ChrisChow]

My best guess... Gonodactylellus affinis

 

[gholland]

Doesn't really look like G. affinis to me... and the location is wrong. More than likely, it is N. wennerae which is what most of TBS mantis are. You'll have to get a good look at the underside to determine sex. See Dr. Roy's sticky thread on mantis sex for more info.
Greg

 

[justinl]

it sure is N. wennerae. interesting colour morph.

 

[ChrisChow]

You guys are right about NOT being the G. Affinis. There is no "light band" extending across the beastie.

 

[ChrisChow]

Here's another one I shot...

 

[Zestay]

looks like its time to make a 10 - 20 gallon mantis tank $$

 

[DanInSD]

N. wennerae.

Dan

 

[Agu]

The color nothing like my n Wennerae from TBS but the shape is consistent with that ID.

You only need a 5.5 gallon for that species, it gets to 4" max.

 

[ChrisChow]

Exactly!
Richard from TBS has never seen that coloration before.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11323686#post11323686 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Agu
The color nothing like my n Wennerae from TBS but the shape is consistent with that ID.

You only need a 5.5 gallon for that species, it gets to 4" max.